Teen's bid to clean Rarangi Beach during Massive Marlborough Clean Up

Thursday, 28 February 2019

Saving sea creatures from plastic and taking care of Marlborough's beaches has motivated a teenager to help organise a beach clean up.

The annual Massive Marlborough Clean Up will include a sweep of Rarangi Beach, spearheaded by Rarangi resident Zoe Luffman.

The 15-year-old lived 'literally a five-second walk' from the Rarangi Beach, and said she felt such a special attachment to the beach she was constantly picking up other people's rubbish.

'It is quite depressing when you walk along the beach and there's burnt firewood and pizza boxes and beer cans from parties. They just can't be bothered to pack it up and take it home. But if you can carry it down you should be able to take it home,' Zoe said.

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'But there's lots more people picking up rubbish than there used to be. Me and both my parents, when we go for walks and stuff we always take a bag down just in case we see rubbish.'

The Rarangi Beach clean up was one event during the wider Massive Marlborough Clean Up, which combined the efforts of businesses, schools and community groups as well as the general public to clean up beaches and rivers for Seaweek, which started on March 2.

Department of Conservation ranger Wendy Sullivan said in previous years, volunteers had picked up straws, plastic toys, lollipop sticks, cigarette butts and disposable cups.

'I repeatedly hear or see comments from people that New Zealand contributes minimal rubbish to our oceans, that the rubbish comes from larger countries and continents,' Sullivan said.

'Often it's not until you participate in a beach clean-up that you realise all those little bits of plastic in our everyday lives easily make their way into the streets, down the gutters and out to sea.'

Rubbish sometimes looked like food to some animals and when consumed, blocked their stomachs so they starved to death, Sullivan said.

'It can also trap, suffocate and drown sea creatures when they get caught in it. It has been estimated that each year 100,000 marine mammals and 1 million seabirds worldwide are killed by rubbish at sea.'

Zoe's clean up at Rarangi Beach would start with participants meeting at the Rarangi Community Hall on Rarangi Beach Rd at 10am, next Saturday on March 9.

'The more the merrier,' Zoe said.

'We'll go out and walk along the beach and pick rubbish for an hour or so. If people could bring their own buckets and if they have gardening gloves that would save us using rubbish bags and plastic gloves.'

They would finish about noon with a sausage sizzle back at the community centre, Zoe said.

'We ran out of sausages last time, but it was really good that people bothered to turn up, we didn't know how many people would be interested.

'But I think in the last few years people have become more aware of the plastic problem we all face, and rubbish and pollution in general.'

Another beach clean up would be held by Conservation Kids at the Picton Foreshore and Shelley Beach on Sunday, March 10.

Participants would meet at the playground on the Picton Foreshore at 10am.

People should bring sunscreen, solid footwear, drinks and snacks and gardening gloves to either event.

All participants will receive a Massive Marlborough Clean Up cotton shopping bag, kindly sponsored by Sanford.

Other organisations undertaking clean ups included DOC staff, Sanford, Waikawa Boating Club, Marlborough Community College, and several schools.

Check out the Marlborough Conservation Events Facebook page for details.